Portable Antivirus Device with Solid State Memory

1. A method for scanning a computer for viruses, the method comprising: plugging a removable rescue device into a port of a virus infected computer, the rescue device comprising a solid state memory with a scanning engine; prior to scanning the infected computer, updating the rescue device over a network connection of the infected computer; and scanning the infected computer for viruses using the scanning engine.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: registering the rescue device to a server that provides updated information to the rescue device.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the server is a server of a vendor of the rescue device.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein registering the rescue device comprises: reading off an identification information stored in the rescue device; and storing the identification information in the server.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the identification information comprises a serial number of the rescue device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network includes the Internet.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to updating the rescue device: reading off a key stored in the rescue device; and checking if the key is valid.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein checking if the key is valid comprises: comparing the key with security codes stored in a server that provides updated information to the rescue device.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the information includes at least one virus scanning engine, at least one virus pattern file, or both.

10. A removable rescue device including a solid-state memory for storing computer-readable program code, the rescue device comprising: a bootable partition for booting a computer; a virus scanning engine; an identification (ID) field for storing ID information of the rescue device, wherein a user registers the rescue device to a server with the ID information; and a virus pattern file; wherein the rescue device is configured to communicate with the server through a network, the server containing information for updating a content of the rescue device.

11. The removable rescue device of claim 10 , wherein the ID information is a serial number of the rescue device.

12. A method for scanning a computer for viruses, the method comprising: prior to plugging a removable rescue device into a port of a virus infected computer, plugging the rescue device into a port of a healthy computer, the healthy computer not infected with a virus, and updating the rescue device over a network connection of the healthy computer; plugging the rescue device into the port of the infected computer, the rescue device comprising a solid state memory with a scanning engine; and scanning the infected computer for viruses using the scanning engine.

13. A removable rescue device including a solid-state memory for storing computer-readable program code, the rescue device comprising: a bootable partition for booting a computer; a virus scanning engine; a key for controlling a write protection mode, wherein a server reads off the key and checks a validity of the key prior to allowing the rescue device to be updated and a virus pattern file; wherein the rescue device is configured to communicate with the server through a network, the server containing information for updating a content of the rescue device.